Author: Rick & Anji Zook

Precious Word of Life

Precious Word of Life

Recently we went almost 8 weeks without measurable rain. Fortunately we still had some in the tanks. But what if there was no water? What if you saw others readily able to get a drink, but you could not? In many ways we westerners are like people who when we are thirsty for God's word, we can turn to the scriptures at any time.
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Of Hobbits and Missionaries

Of Hobbits and Missionaries

It always interests and amuses me when our home church pastor uses a movie clip or a story from some film as a sermon illustration.  Recently however, Anji and I again watched the movie The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King.  Near the end of that movie there is a scene that […]
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Checking, Checking, Checking and Comprehending (Or Do They)?

Checking, Checking, Checking and Comprehending (Or Do They)?

This is challenging as many times we can’t just substitute a Lusi word for an English word: there is not a one-to-one correlation as both languages see the world differently. I check the content because we don’t want to leave any meaning out, nor do we want to be adding in information that was not in the original. This takes some time, but it is very important because both mistakes can and do happen.
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Taking More Steps to Translate The Bible Into Lusi

Taking More Steps to Translate The Bible Into Lusi

The second step of many in the process of translation has big names like “transfer” and “Mother Tongue Draft.” What we do is sit down with our exegetical draft where we’ve made our best attempt at Lusi, a Lusi speaker, and a voice recorder. . . .Translation is a painstaking job of a 1000 decisions.
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Part of Our Job: To Strengthen Believers

Part of Our Job: To Strengthen Believers

Let me ask you this, if you don’t have a Bible for yourself and you are a believer, how do you feed yourself? How do you grow? How do you have your mind renewed? How can you be encouraged?
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One Step at a Time

One Step at a Time

We’ve begun translating! It seems like it has taken a long time to get to that point, but here we are starting on a new journey of many steps. We’re still trying to figure out who gets which job, but we both (Rick and Anji) will be working on the translation. Our first attempt is […]
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Or the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Or the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Traveling has a little different dynamic when there are no roads to get you there. This is a page from my journal about our trip back to the bush in the land of the unexpected after a year's absence!
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Weight a Minute!

Weight a Minute!

Unless your car is severely overloaded or you are trying to catch a flight, I bet that you don’t think about weight and transportation at the same time. Do you know how much your computer bag weighs? How about all the groceries that you bought at the store last week? How about everyone in your […]
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Tapiok By Any Other Name

Tapiok By Any Other Name

Tapiok, Manioka, Cassava, Yucca, and Tapioca are relatively all the same thing. It is a rooted plant that grows in the tropics around the world. You are probably most familiar with it in the dessert form of tapioca, those little pearl beads that you soak in water before using in a pudding or a thickener. […]
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The Mind of Man Plans His Way, But the Lord Directs His Steps

The Mind of Man Plans His Way, But the Lord Directs His Steps

As we look back over the history of our work here in the Island’s Region we can see the truth of Proverbs 16:9. As westerners we like to plan and know what is going to happen next. However, God often has other plans that are bigger and better than we can even dream of. For […]
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